Holness tours Corporate Area infrastructural developments

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (centre) listens to a point in discussion with National Works Agency CEO EG Hunter (second right) during a tour of the infrastructural projects across the Corporate Area on Friday. (PHOTOS: Job Nelson)

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Friday morning toured a number of road projects across the Corporate Area.

According Holness, the tour was necessary for him to get a firsthand view of the various infrastructural developments that are happening simultaneously across the metropolitan.

He made stops along Constant Spring Road, in the vicinity of Manor Centre and Immaculate Conception High; Mandela Highway, by the overpass on the west-bound leg and at the Ferry Police Station on the east-bound leg; and at Portia Simpson Miller and Barbican squares.

Leading the Prime Minister on the tour, while explaining the engineering intricacies, were Everton (EG) Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency (NWA) and Zhimin Hu, Vice President of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), which has the contract for all the projects.

PM Infrastructure Tour

Also making the journey was Commissioner of Police, Major General Anthony Anthony Anderson and NWA chairman Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee, who is also the Director the Mona Geoinformatics Institute.

Member of Parliament for North Central St Andrew, Karl Samuda joined Holness for the two Constant Spring stops while Delroy Chuck, Member of Parliament for North Eastern St Andrew, was at the Barbican stop.

At the Manor Park gully stop, Holness was informed on the acquisition of lands by the government. He was told that dialogue has already started with those who will be affected.

At Immaculate, Hunter explained that the work to facilitate underground cables for all the utilities is in progress. He also allayed fears that the Prime Minister had about pedestrians not being accommodated in the new design.

Disabled vehicles and pedestrian traffic were the focus at the stop on the west-bound leg of Mandela Highway, while renovation of the Ferry Police Station to accompany the new roadway was discussed at that police base.

At Barbican, the Prime Minister listened to the concerns of the residents, which included difficulties crossing the newly-built thoroughfare as well as a place for the taxis to park.